O Son !

Since the time of true noon and that of adhânî sunset according to
which timepieces are adjusted to begin are mer’î times, the riyâdî
times indicated by timepieces are mer’î times. The times printed
on calendars, mathematical as they are, change into mer’î times on
timepieces. For instance, if a certain time determined by
calculation is, say, three hours and fifteen minutes, timepieces
demonstrate this moment of three hours and fifteen minutes as the
mer’î time. First the haqîqî mathematical times, when the center of
the sun reaches the altitudes prescribed for the prayers of namâz
from the true horizon, are determined by calculation. Then these
times are converted into shar’î mathematical times through a
process performed with the period of time called Tamkin. Hence,
there is no need for also adding 8 minutes and 20 seconds to the
riyâdî times represented on timepieces. The difference of time
between true time and shar’î time for a certain prayer of namâz is
termed the time of Tamkin. The time of Tamkin for each prayer
time is approximately the same.
The time for morning prayer at a certain location begins, in all
four Madhhabs, at the end of shar’î (canonical) night, which in turn
is when the whiteness called fajr sâdiq is seen at one of the points
on the line of apparent horizon (ufq-i-zâhirî) in the east. This time
is also the beginning of fast. Chief of Astronomy Department ’Ârif
Begh reports: “Because there are weak reports saying that the fajr
sâdiq begins when the whiteness spreads over the horizon and the
altitude of the Sun is -18° or even -16°, it is judicious and safe to
perform the morning prayer 15 minutes later than the time shown
on calendars.” To determine the Sun’s altitude at the time of dawn,
the time of dawn is determined by observing the line of apparent
horizon and in the meanwhile directing our attention to our
timepiece, in a night when the sky is clear. The time determined
thereby will match one of the times calculated to correspond with
various altitudes, and the altitude wherewith the matching time
corresponds is the altitude of dawn (fajr). An identical method is
used to determine the altitude of shafaq (disappearance of evening
twilight). Throughout centuries Islamic scholars have adopted the
altitude for fajr as –19°, rejecting any other values as ‘incorrect
values’. According to Europeans, dawn (fajr) is the spreading of
the whiteness [1] , and the Sun’s altitude is –18° at dawn. Muslims’
religious tutors are not Christians or people who have not adapted
[1] This is the time when Astronomical twilight begins.
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